NPL: Maitland a chance of hosting grand finals

Maitland Sportsground looms as a potential Northern NSW NPL grand final venue after the decision to end the two-year experiment at McDonald Jones Stadium.

Northern NSW Football has taken the past two sets of senior NPL deciders to the region's premier stadium but crowds of just 4174 and 3772 were below expectations.

Eland said NNSWF had given the grand final move "a red-hot go" through promotions, kick-off time changes, event presentation and rescheduling of other matches but the "numbers simply don't add up".

NNSWF had taken on significant losses in hiring the 30,000-capacity ground, even though stadium management had helped keep costs down.

Before the move, grand finals had been held predominantly at Broadmeadow's Magic Park in recent years. Edgeworth's Jack McLaughlan Oval hosted in 2014.

Eland said those venues and Maitland Sportsground, which has successfully hosted Jets A-League trials against Central Coast and Western Sydney, were being considered.

Newcastle No.2 Sportsground has been floated as a venue but Eland said clashes with Newcastle and Hunter Rugby Union finals held there and troubles with the surface meant it was not a realistic option.